Least successful new stations

[Watershed]

Whilst not disputing the madness of it all, is there any official statement which says Cottingley is to close?

Well, WYCA have gone through several stages of closure consultation. They seem pretty certain that it's just a formality.

 

[Grumpy]

Well, WYCA have gone through several stages of closure consultation. They seem pretty certain that it's just a formality.

Watershed
Thank you, I missed that

 

[Starmill]

An Anytime Day Return to New Street is £12.20, the same as from Foregate Street or Shrub Hill.

The only fare around £15 would be the Off-Peak Return costing £16.80, but this would not be shown before around 9am (when it becomes valid).

Was it an Anytime Return at £18.50?

If it was, and you were wanting a ticket to return the same day, you should have only been charged £12.20.I would write to the ticket machine operator asking for a refund of the difference between what you actually paid and the correct fare.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Is Rotherham Parkgate tram-train station getting much use?

 

[Efini92]

What's the feeling about the recently-opened Worcestershire Parkway and Warrington West?

Worcestershire parkway needs the Edinburgh-Plymouth services to stop at it.

 

[Andyjs247]

A possibly controversial suggestion, but perhaps pre Chiltern Evergreen, the Oxford to Bicester line. I think it was half a dozen largely empty trains each way. Reopened on the late 80s I think. Successful now it's a through route but certainly wasn't when just a branch.

Unlike Corby which subsequently closed then reopened, Bicester to Oxford managed to sustain a service to Oxford throughout. Even with a 27 minute journey time it was competitive with the bus for getting to Oxford. But the frequency was never good, not helped by some large gaps in the timetable to accommodate freight. However patronage was increasing even before transfer to Chiltern and subsequent rebuilding; hardly unsuccessful though.

The rebuilding for Evergreen 3 and East West Rail has been transformational, particularly for Bicester and at Oxford Parkway. Usage of Islip meanwhile is disappointing but given Chiltern only stop a minimum number of trains there not unsurprising.

Oxford Parkway has effectively replaced Islip. Islip station had to be rebuilt when the line was redoubled but I suspect Chiltern might well have preferred it’s closure.

 

[Paula hewson]

An Anytime Day Return to New Street is £12.20, the same as from Foregate Street or Shrub Hill.

The only fare around £15 would be the Off-Peak Return costing £16.80, but this would not be shown before around 9am (when it becomes valid).

My apologies. Must have misread the ticket machine!

 

[Gathursty]

As someone who walks to the station, or takes a bus in extremis (paying a fare), I certainly don't want my ticket price increased to make up for the car park revenue lost, a car park which I will never use.

I only mean for parkway stations, not any station where there happens to be a designated pay and display car park.

 

[RT4038]

I only mean for parkway stations, not any station where there happens to be a designated pay and display car park.

That is fine for Parkway Stations surrounded by green fields (and will be for ever more) and will never have feeder bus services, but those such as Bristol and Coleshill are in, or on the edge of, urban areas (even if they weren't when built!).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oxford Parkway has effectively replaced Islip. Islip station had to be rebuilt when the line was redoubled but I suspect Chiltern might well have preferred it’s closure.

Allegedly the reason for it not getting all trains stopping there was that the locals didn't want them, because it might result in their village roads being full of parked cars.

 

[YorksLad12]

Watershed
Thank you, I missed that

And thank you both for reminding me I need to make my contribution to the latest/final consultation.

 

[The exile]

That is fine for Parkway Stations surrounded by green fields (and will be for ever more) and will never have feeder bus services, but those such as Bristol and Coleshill are in, or on the edge of, urban areas (even if they weren't when built!).

and some of them are only “Parkway” by designation (Didcot, Port Talbot for example). Ironic really that the name Bristol Parkway ( the first, I think) derived its name not from its car park, but the fact that it was at the end ( almost) of the M32 (“The Parkway” - a name which hasn’t really stuck - unlike “ the Portway”. - the A4 heading to Avonmouth)

 

[nw1]

I only mean for parkway stations, not any station where there happens to be a designated pay and display car park.

Except some of them - Southampton Airport Parkway, for example - can be used by non-drivers (there are buses, and it's within walking distance of built-up areas), so we should certainly not have to pay a premium to use it. (We don't, but that's the way it should stay!)

Worcestershire parkway needs the Edinburgh-Plymouth services to stop at it.

Or should it? Edinburgh-Plymouth is a long way, and arguably such a service should be limited stop. The other one (Manchester-Bristol?) perhaps.

 

[The Planner]

Worcestershire parkway needs the Edinburgh-Plymouth services to stop at it.

XC have never shown an interest in that, and made it pretty clear even before it was built they weren't going to do it either. File under Kenilworth.

Allegedly the reason for it not getting all trains stopping there was that the locals didn't want them, because it might result in their village roads being full of parked cars.

If you look at the roads through Islip and the general feel of the place you can understand why they wanted that. It could never cope with parked cars as the roads aren't capable.

 

[Taunton]

Cottingley really bugs me, as part of the rationale for closing it is that no-one uses it... so let's replace it with a new station 750m away which is more difficult to reach by the people who do use Cottingley. Ask this question again in five years and we can safely add White Rose Station to the list.

Same in London, where Angel Road, completely unused in a dismal urban wasteland, has been replaced spitting distance away on the other side of the main road viaduct by Meridian Water, similarly located.

A few on light rail:
-Royal Albert (DLR) with very little development having occurred around the station

This now exceeds 2 million passengers a year, in 2019. Do you mean somewhere else?

 

[Starmill]

The other one (Manchester-Bristol?) perhaps.

Resuming this service in any form would be a good start, even if it can only work between Bristol and Birmingham.

 

[Efini92]

XC have never shown an interest in that, and made it pretty clear even before it was built they weren't going to do it either. File under Kenilworth.

If you look at the roads through Islip and the general feel of the place you can understand why they wanted that. It could never cope with parked cars as the roads aren't capable.

True.
Kenilworth should’ve been built to accommodate 10 cars. Voyagers should’ve also been built with Selective Door Operation.

 

[Redmike]

Humphrey Park would be well used if it had a decent service. As would the much older (1930s?) Chassen Road.

I always thought that line had a lot of potential as it is classic commuter territory. Also the buses from Flixton, Urmston etc can be very slow into Manchester. I suppose the Liverpool expresses get in the way of more frequent stopping services and nobody will want more trains across Castlefield junction.

 

[Starmill]

Kenilworth should’ve been built to accommodate 10 cars.

Thus making the station so expensive that it wasn't possible to fund in the first place?

 

[Efini92]

Thus making the station so expensive that it wasn't possible to fund in the first place?

Would it really have cost that much extra? Surely it would’ve been better spent than having it as a station with no services.

 

[Starmill]

Would it really have cost that much extra? Surely it would’ve been better spent than having it as a station with no services.

I'm not sure where you get the idea that Kenilworth has no services from, given a train is leaving in around half an hour for Leamington Spa, and in 50 minutes for Nuneaton via Coventry. However, longer platforms would have cost more and been pretty fruitless as the CrossCountry services weren't ever going to be stopping anyway. You might not like the service the station has, and it's not amazing, but that's not the station's issue.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Would it really have cost that much extra? Surely it would’ve been better spent than having it as a station with no services.

A station that was very expensive in the first place , and not exactly delivered on time either.

You could argue of course that XC is not really in the business of calling at every single station it might pass.

 

[Ianno87]

Same in London, where Angel Road, completely unused in a dismal urban wasteland, has been replaced spitting distance away on the other side of the main road viaduct by Meridian Water, similarly located.

But with considerably better access/integration into the local area, especially once the adjacent new housing is finished. And better general security/ambience too.

This now exceeds 2 million passengers a year, in 2019. Do you mean somewhere else?

That's pretty quiet by DLR standards, and the development by the station it was supposed to stimulate hasn't fully happened.

 

[Starmill]

CrossCountry don't serve Solihull or Bridgwater either, despite them being important secondary centres with fairly poor local provision.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

CrossCountry don't serve Solihull or Bridgwater either, despite them being important secondary centres with fairly poor local provision.

Solihull was removed from XC after "Operation Princess" .....

 

[rower40]

It’s also a good example of what should be done - ensure the public transport options from/ to a new development site are available from day one ( which almost inevitably means a period of little use) rather than forcing the potential users to establish alternative travel patterns and then expect them to change them.

(Partial Quote above; it refers to Kirkstall Forge.)
Agreed - I visited Aylesbury Vale Parkway shortly after it was opened, and there was nothing there save a vast empty carpark, and a few JCBs on the horizon, building access roads over farmland. But Google Maps shows that it's quite different now...

I'll add Willington to the list - the failure to reopen the Ivanhoe line proper to passenger services has left it a big disadvantage service wise.

I commuted between Willington and Derby daily throughout the Summer 2018 Derby station blockade. Most mornings, I had the rail-replacement-bus (which became a minibus after the first week) to myself. (correction - there was a driver on board too...)

But Willington station allowed my family to re-locate out of Derby suburbia to laid-back village life in nearby Repton.

 

[Efini92]

I'm not sure where you get the idea that Kenilworth has no services from, given a train is leaving in around half an hour for Leamington Spa, and in 50 minutes for Nuneaton via Coventry. However, longer platforms would have cost more and been pretty fruitless as the CrossCountry services weren't ever going to be stopping anyway. You might not like the service the station has, and it's not amazing, but that's not the station's issue.

Haven’t they been on a replacement bud service for the last 18 months?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I always thought that line had a lot of potential as it is classic commuter territory. Also the buses from Flixton, Urmston etc can be very slow into Manchester. I suppose the Liverpool expresses get in the way of more frequent stopping services and nobody will want more trains across Castlefield junction.

Agreed, on Merseyrail these would have 4tph and be well used, as it is the buses win.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Solihull was removed from XC after "Operation Princess" .....

Interesting. Can I ask the reason/pretext offered, if any? (Or was it just that the bearded one just didn't want to stop at such secondary places?)

And do/did you agree with it?

 

[eastwestdivide]

Is Rotherham Parkgate tram-train station getting much use?

Before the pandemic, the dedicated park and ride parking spaces were usually well filled on a weekday, and the number of spaces has been increased from about 24 to over 60.
There are also plans to extend the park and ride to 300 spaces with a new link road through from the Aldwarke Lane area.
e.g. this from the council:

Public Consultation Launches for transport proposals at Parkgate – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Proposals to ease congestion and improve transport, walking and cycling infrastructure at Parkgate in Rotherham will go to public consultation, as transport chiefs seek views to shape future plans.

www.rotherham.gov.uk

PUBLIC CONSULTATION LAUNCHES FOR TRANSPORT PROPOSALS AT PARKGATE